Fears over future of Marlow station if housing approved

THE COMPANY responsible for the railway line in Marlow has raised further doubts over plans for a housing development at the station.

Network Rail wrote to Wycombe District Council to object to the application for nine houses adjacent to the tracks on Station Approach.

Fears centre over whether heavy plant and equipment needed to work on the tracks will be able to access the site once the houses are built.

And with plans in motion to electrify the track at Marlow, strict rules state there should be no buildings within six metres of the outer rail.

Network Rail also stated that First Great Western, which manages the station, has registered its opposition over fears the houses would “have an adverse effect on the station environment” and hamper future station expansion.

Doubts were also raised about whether plans for drainage have been properly taken into account.

Letters have already flooded in to the council from residents over the plans, with most opposed on the grounds that nearby houses will be overshadowed.

There are also worries over extra traffic in the bottleneck near the station.

But applicant ML Developments insists housing is a good use for the site, which is classified as an employment site but has remained empty for years.

And supporters of the scheme have complained of the lack of new housing projects in the town, welcoming a building to replace the disused scrubland that currently greets visitors to Marlow.

Rail users’ group Maidenhead and Marlow Passengers’ Association wrote to WDC last month to highlight that this building project may stand in the way of the electrification of the tracks.

Chairman Susan Morrison said: “Our job is to ensure Marlow station and service are sustainable and continuously improved, not diminished or abandoned.

“It would be sad if something was done in the format of this housing development now which cannot be undone if the result hurts the future viability of the railways to Marlow.”

Network Rail stated that its objections will be withdrawn if site surveys show its concerns to be unfounded. WDC has not yet ruled on the application.

Comments

This is silly...
We must be able to build floating houses, train platforms & ticket offices to go along with the floating trains.
;-)

This is silly...
We must be able to build floating houses, train platforms & ticket offices to go along with the floating trains.
;-)Mr Totterdge Hill

This is silly...
We must be able to build floating houses, train platforms & ticket offices to go along with the floating trains.
;-)

Score: 4

KrissieJS
7:49pm Tue 18 Feb 14

More houses to get flooded- great

More houses to get flooded- greatKrissieJS

More houses to get flooded- great

Score: 3

JOHNHEALY
11:59pm Wed 26 Feb 14

Nobody has ever cared much about Marlow Station for a long time as shown by the fact it is a soulless platform with a waiting shelter. Ideally the whole site needs to be redeveloped sensibly with flats over the top of an electrified track while the station itself needs marketing better to attract even more passengers and maybe play host to the occasional steam excursion

Nobody has ever cared much about Marlow Station for a long time as shown by the fact it is a soulless platform with a waiting shelter. Ideally the whole site needs to be redeveloped sensibly with flats over the top of an electrified track while the station itself needs marketing better to attract even more passengers and maybe play host to the occasional steam excursionJOHNHEALY

Nobody has ever cared much about Marlow Station for a long time as shown by the fact it is a soulless platform with a waiting shelter. Ideally the whole site needs to be redeveloped sensibly with flats over the top of an electrified track while the station itself needs marketing better to attract even more passengers and maybe play host to the occasional steam excursion

Score: 0

gpn01
7:48am Thu 27 Feb 14

JOHNHEALY wrote…

Nobody has ever cared much about Marlow Station for a long time as shown by the fact it is a soulless platform with a waiting shelter. Ideally the whole site needs to be redeveloped sensibly with flats over the top of an electrified track while the station itself needs marketing better to attract even more passengers and maybe play host to the occasional steam excursion

A dtation isn't what attracts passengers. Train services are what attract passengers. If it were possible to catch a train from Marlow to London, without changes, then that would aytract passengers.

[quote][p][bold]JOHNHEALY[/bold] wrote:
Nobody has ever cared much about Marlow Station for a long time as shown by the fact it is a soulless platform with a waiting shelter. Ideally the whole site needs to be redeveloped sensibly with flats over the top of an electrified track while the station itself needs marketing better to attract even more passengers and maybe play host to the occasional steam excursion[/p][/quote]A dtation isn't what attracts passengers. Train services are what attract passengers. If it were possible to catch a train from Marlow to London, without changes, then that would aytract passengers.gpn01

JOHNHEALY wrote…

Nobody has ever cared much about Marlow Station for a long time as shown by the fact it is a soulless platform with a waiting shelter. Ideally the whole site needs to be redeveloped sensibly with flats over the top of an electrified track while the station itself needs marketing better to attract even more passengers and maybe play host to the occasional steam excursion

A dtation isn't what attracts passengers. Train services are what attract passengers. If it were possible to catch a train from Marlow to London, without changes, then that would aytract passengers.

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